Memories Resurfaced
by BlendedFrog
Summary: Actually this is for FFX-2, about Paine's mysterious past. Could be PG, talks about cutting and abuse. RR please, flames accepted but only with good reason!


You may not have noticed, but this isn't FFX, it's actually FFX-2. No spoilers though, not that there really can be any. It's just a little thing talking about Paine's mysterious past. Talks about cutting predominantly, and abuse as well. Just a little warning.  
  
Oh, and I will finish the last chapter for "Changes and Dealing With It," I promise! ...I just don't know when.  
  
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"Hey, Paine, you want to come with us to grab a drink?" Rikku asked, a muscular man at her arm.  
  
"No, thanks," Paine muttered politely. She looked around. "Where did Yuna go?"  
  
"She's at the temple. I think she met someone she used to know. She said she'll be around in a while."  
  
"I'll just stay around here, then. Come find me when you're done," Paine suggested, and Rikku and her newfound boyfriend ran off.  
  
Alone now, Paine watched as people wandered by, mostly couples, arm-in-arm. She sighed. From the time she was a child, Paine had had no one to hug, or love, or anything of that sort. Her parents had taken the liberty to show Paine exactly what it meant to be an abused child from the time she was very young up until she finally left her family at age thirteen. After that she spent most of her time wandering throughout Spira, looking for some way to make money without resorting to the dreaded life of child-whores.  
  
Thinking back on those memories, Paine carefully removed the black arm coverings on her left wrist. Seventeen long, thin white scars stared back at her, reminding her of her horrible past. When she joined, she had explained to the Gullwings that she was joining for the chance to be on an airship, when in reality she joined to get away from her past. Paine slipped her arm covering back onto her arm.  
  
Since then, life had been pretty good. The Gullwings had accepted Paine without question, and she'd met Rikku - lighthearted and fun - and later, Yuna, the High Summoner out on a quest to find her true love, even if she didn't know it yet. Paine was having fun, and everything seemed to be alright.  
  
:If life is so good for me, why am I like this?: The eighteen-year-old thought to herself, removing the arm covering on her right arm. Across her wrist was a red slash with a thick, dark scab over it. It was thicker than the ones on her left arm because instead of quick slashes, Paine had taken her time with this cut, going over and over it until the blood had fallen quickly from her wrist and soaked into the earth. She'd done it late last night, when Rikku and Yuna had been asleep. The dagger hidden in her right boot had been the sharp weapon.  
  
Paine really didn't know why she'd done it. It was just that all of a sudden, she had gotten an urge so strong she couldn't resist it. Maybe it was because she'd been thinking about her past, and had wanted to cry. You see, Paine didn't cry. She bled. Red tears from her wrist, welling up and then falling to the floor.  
  
She'd done it late last night, when Rikku and Yuna had been asleep. They slept so peacefully - or at least Rikku did. Many a night, Paine had woken up to see Yuna writing in a journal she always kept with her, or, sometimes, crying into her pillow. Paine wanted to sit next to her, hold her, comfort her, tell her that maybe someday everything would be ok. :But will it? How do I know?: Paine thought about this, and it stopped her from ever doing anything. Fortunately (or unfortunately), last night Yuna had slept relatively comfortably.  
  
"Paine! Hey, Paine!" Yuna's voice broke the silence and footsteps were suddenly heard as well. Paine swiftly pulled her arm covering on and stood up.  
  
"Over here," she said.  
  
"Oh, there you are! Brother called, he's a found a sphere somewhere near Besaid. Rikku's already heading towards the airship, let's go!"  
  
Paine nodded and followed Yuna as they ran off towards the airship, the black arm covering hiding all traces to her past. 


End file.
